Held
by SweetestKay
Summary: Toph tired of being 'Held' and fed up with feelings that she can't explain lashes out at the one person who doesn't deserve it. Can she fix her mistake or must she except her new fate. Taang..Zutara..Sukka...Oneshot


Toph has never felt more crippled than she does now at this very moment, never has she believed herself to be flawed in any way. Being born blind didn't slow Toph down, even when her parents wanted to hold her in the house; in all honesty it only made her more headstrong and independent. But it seems that these same things she values about herself are the very same ones that have caused her to be laying in her tent beating herself up about some of the decisions she's made recently more importantly today. Toph doesn't see herself getting out of this one.

*Earlier that day*

****Everyone had just been sitting around the fire at there campsite having a good time, the only thing that bothered her was the fact that the others were coupled up. Katara was to the left of her whispering with Zuko while Suki and Sokka were just getting up from their seats running of into the trees giggling claiming they were going to gather wood for the fire.

So that left only Aang and Toph, even Appa and MoMo were off chattering to each other. Times like this Toph missed the days Zuko was an enemy and was hunting them down at least then she had other things to worry about instead of her feelings for a certain Airbender. After Suki and Sokka escaped off to do Spirits know what Aang being the perfect little gentleman he is decided to bring over to Toph some tea that had just freshly made. She could feel him getting closer, it seemed every step he took was heavier than ever before and that saying alot for "Twinkle Toes"

Finally making it over, he takes the open seat next to her offering her the Tea.

"Hey Toph! Thought you might want some tea so I brought some over, it's pretty good too". Smiled Aang, though Toph couldn't see him smiling she just knew he was based off the tone of his voice, chirpy as ever.

Toph's heart was doing somersaults in her chest and she was getting that weird flip floppy feeling in the pit of her stomach again. _'Why does this always happen when he is around' - 'what is he doing to me?' _Toph thought to herself.

The way he would make her feel when he came around angered Toph she was fed up with the new feelings he brought when he talked to her and most of all she was sick of him not realizing that he was doing it to her._'How dare he'_ – '_He has no right to make me feel like this'_

"Did I ask for something to drink Twinkle Toes?" roared Toph ultimately catching Aang off guard he was not expecting this.

Stuttering Aang does his best to answer

"U-u-umm n-n-no I jus….." Toph cuts him off angrier tan before

"You just what, assumed I wasn't capable of getting myself something to drink" she glares in his direction "I don't need you to take care of me, so take your stinking tea and leave me be" she shouts at him.

"I don't need you to run my life Twinkle Toes; I don't need to be 'held' if I knew you would turn out to be my parents I would have stayed home".

Toph's hands were clenched tight at her sides forming fists and her feet were digging into the ground beneath her.

"There is no need to be so angry Toph, I was only being a good friend but it's obvious that you don't want any so I'll just go" Aang stands to leave wounded by Toph's words, how could she think he was the type of person that would control her. Lately she had just been snapping at him for no reason at all.

"No! You're wrong I just don't want friends like YOU!"

In that moment Aang is grateful for the Earthbenders blindness for she cannot see the look of hurt on his face as his eyes burn with unshed tears. His voice flat with hurt he finds it in himself to respond.

"You know what Toph it's good to know how you truly feel, don't worry I'll stay out of your way from now on".

Dropping the untouched cup of tea to the floor Aang grabs his glider running off jumping into the air flying off.

"Aang wait" shouts Katara having heard the entire altercation. Toph's shouting knocked her and Zuko out of their conversation; Katara moves to go after him.

"Don't worry Katara I'll go after him" states Zuko before nodding his head towards Toph silently telling her to deal with the young girl, Katara nods in agreement.

Zuko salutes before hopping onto Appa flying of in the direction the Airbender went.

Sighing Katara turns to see Toph standing still in the same spot as if she was frozen in place. Katara walks over to Toph whose body is tense with anger only not towards Aang but herself. Not giving the Waterbender a chance to chastise her, Toph turns stomping to a patch of open land.

"Don't want to hear it Sweetness" she announces. Sitting on the ground the Earthbender then bends herself a tent to be left alone, truth be told she regretted her words the second she said them.

Walking up to the tent Katara gently knocks on the door of the tent

"Toph, I don't know what's bothering you and I know that you want to be left alone; but if you ever need me I will drop everything for you. Okay?" voice raw with emotion, getting no answer she turns to leave heart broken for her friends.

So here Toph sits replaying the scenes over and over in her mind, she never forget how broken his voice was. Laying on her side she finally allows the tears she's been holding back to flow freely. Why does she have to be such a jerk? She snapped at him over nothing and worst of all compared him to her parents the very ones that she went on and on about how badly they treat her. How will Aang ever forgive her, How will she ever face him again? Maybe I should just leave she ponders it seems to be what I'm good at. If Toph had her way all her friends would be like Aang.

Lost in her thoughts Toph hadn't even noticed that Zuko had returned with Aang in tow, she hears the three of them walking off a distance obviously to talk about her, she sighs. Times goes by and soon enough Suki and Sokka return also, the little trio breaks apart Sokka, Zuko, and Aang going in one direction and Suki and Katara in the other.

Toph lay in her tent no telling how long listening to the laughs of the people around her, thankfully no one had bothered her during this time not that they didn't want to. Tired of feeling the way she did and fed up with pushing Aang away, thinking back to Katara's offer earlier Toph makes the quick decision of taking her up on that. _'I have to get past this'_

Taking a necessary breath she moves to a standing position and knocks away the doors of her tent, all the talking and laughing around her stops for a moment before beginning again. Walking out of the tent Toph moves towards where she feels the girls' vibrations and hears them talking.

After arriving near the girls Suki immediately greets Toph glad to see her out of the tent.

"Hey Toph, how you feeling?" she asks still concerned for her friend.

Toph quickly answers "Hey Yoshi, I'm feeling pretty good"

During their exchange Katara notices something off with Toph immediately, Toph is not wearing her usual dose of confidence and her head is down; Toph's head is never down she always holds her head high but at this moment she feels stripped down to nothing venerable to all those around her.

Worried Katara asks "Toph is everything okay?"

Not lifting her head she shakes her head praying the tears she's fighting back don't win.

Suki catching on to the seriousness of the situation glances at Katara and the two share a look both fearful for their friend, she asks.

"How about us girls go down by the lake and have a little chat, just the three of us?"

Katara smiles at the idea thinking that's just what Toph needs "Great idea Suki, you good with that Toph?"

Finally looking up she responds with a weak "yea, okay"

Standing Katara and Suki move to stand next to Toph one on the right and the other on the left. They begin to walk towards the lake, and the boys take notice of them leaving.

"Hey! Where you going?" accusingly asks Sokka

Not missing a beat Katara replies "we'll be at the lake for awhile we just want to get away, you know a change of scenery" she smiles at her brother

Knowing the girls could take of themselves he nods but just in case he adds "But just to be safe take Momo"

Rolling her eyes Suki calls for Momo and he immediately flies up perching himself on her shoulder. The girls then continue to walk towards the lake, no one saying anything until they arrived.

Sitting on a fallen tree the girls sit in silence for a brief moment before Katara finally asks

"Toph, what's going on?" she pauses "you've been extremely difficult and rude to Aang for at least a few weeks now" she looks to Toph who is sitting between her and Suki waiting on her to respond

Glad to finally be able to talk about it she opens her mouth and the flood gates pour open. She confesses to having feelings for Aang but not knowing what to do with them, she admits that she lashes out at him only because she's mad at herself for the feelings she haves for him. Upon being sheltered by her parents they made her to believe it was wrong to feel this way about someone and they made her to believe that only they would care enough about her so she fought Aang because she believed him to be a lie only treating her nicely to mock her knowing she could never have him.

Tears falling from her face she "I don't want to be a pity date and that's all I'll ever be" sobbing she continues "don't you see I wasn't made to be loved only to be observed, all he'll ever see in me is a chance to do good as an Avatar you know do his community good. Aang could never love me". And she breaks down

"How can I call myself a great fighter when I can't even fight for myself anymore" sob "who am I Katara, what's wrong with me?"

Both girls wrap their arms around her as the young girl falls apart. Their hearts aching as she releases sob after sob mumbling to herself that she'll never be enough for him and how much he hates him for doing this to her.

Katara tries to get herself together enough to comfort her friend

"Toph no that's not true you're so much more than that, so much more than anyone could ever describe" tears of her own falling Suki continues for her

"She's right Toph you're indescribable honey , you will never be anyone's pity date if anything you'll be the one taking pity on them" smiles Suki

"There is nothing wrong with the way you're feeling either, as a matter of fact I went through something similar with Zuko"

Toph looked up at Katara even though she couldn't see her anxious to hear more

"Really, how?" she sniffles finally calming down.

"Well do you know how hard it is to love someone after hating them for so long?" asks Katara looking down at Toph glad to see her doing a little better. Suki sits eager to listen as well

"I never thought of it like that" admits Toph

"I was mad at myself for the longest, how could I fall in love with this guy the same one who has tried to hurt me and those I love numerous of times" – "I was in denial it was obvious to me that he had to be playing some kind mind game on me causing me to feel things that weren't really there".

Katara suddenly stands "After we all allowed him into the group there were times I wanted to run away even though I was a key part to the group I was ready to leave behind any and everything" – "he would just stand around looking at me offering to help me with something" she giggles at a sudden thought "the jerk even had the nerve to smile at me, and I hated it" Pausing for a moment she rocks back and forth wrapping her arms around herself. Toph listens intently while rubbing Momo on the head each word relevant to her situation. _'Who knew Sweetness had it in her'_

"I felt guilty at all times whenever thinking of him, so I would force myself to lash out at him hurting him in places I knew would bruise; each word hurting more than the other" she smiles briefly "but then one day he had finally had enough and marched up to me and pulled me off to the side"

"I was so mad at him he had no right to grab me in front of you guys like that so I went to tell him off only to be silenced by him, daring me to speak" staring off into space she goes on

"I was afraid of him in that moment he had already talked to Sokka and Aang about it so they didn't interfere, I was so fearful of what might happen"-"apart of me hoped he would get the hint and stay out of my way when the other part was hoping for him to love me with everything he had".

Sitting back next to the girls on the fallen tree, she puts an arm around Toph hoping to encourage the girl with her next words.

"You see Toph he only wanted to tell me that he was sorry for all the wrong he cause in my life, and to tell me that though he loved me he would leave if just to make me happy" Katara smiles thinking back to when he said those three words.

"I was ready to go off on him again but I stopped myself, he said he loved me. I was stunned speechless, I couldn't say anything" – "it was only when he turned to walk away that I jumped to and hugged him crying into his neck telling him I loved him too"

A small squeeze from Katara causes Toph to smile.

"I almost lost the love of my life because I was to stubborn and headstrong to allow myself to love him but more importantly I didn't give him the chance to love me only gave him reason to the hate me, yet here we are today more in love than ever. Don't lose out on love Toph, tell Aang how you feel before you dig yourself into a hole that even 'The greatest Earthbender in the World' couldn't get out of" she whispers the last part in her ear.

Laying her head on Katara's shoulder Toph lightly says "Thanks Katara you will never know how much all of this means to me. You to Suki, I feel much better now"

Toph straightens herself and wipes at her face "I'm ready to tell him now" she states firmly

Katara and Suki look at each other before tossing their arms in the air celebrating both happy to see her confidence back and in action.

Toph laughs at their actions "Come on you goofs let's get this over with"

Standing all three girls hug tightly before heading back in the direction of the Campsite.

Coming up on the camp giggling the girls each give Toph a quick hug of encouragement before breaking off to get their significant other so that Aang and Toph could talk. All of a sudden nervous Toph makes her way over to where Aang is sitting, taking one of the open seats the boys just left from.

Sitting in silence for awhile Toph tries to put her jumbled words in the right order in her head before she says them. Having gotten it right at least she thinks she goes for it.

"Ugh Aang, If you're still offering I would like some tea now" she smiles sweetly

Aang is again caught off guard by her gentle words and smile; it's been forever since she's smiled at or even around him. Not wasting any time hoping to stay on her good side he prepares her tea for her thankful that Zuko had just convinced him to make more _'I'll have to thank him later'_

"Sure Toph, here you go" he places it in her waiting hand.

She takes a sip savoring it, its warmth welcomed in the cool of the night. Ready to get this over with she looks in his direction

"Aang I'm really sorry about how I've been treating you, it hasn't been called for you've done nothing wrong it's me". Taking a deep sigh _'here goes nothing'_

"I've been rude to you because I wasn't ready to confront my feelings for you" –"I've hid behind my anger hurt because I was afraid to face you and my heart. Truth is I love you!".

As she confesses to him Aang is shocked _'that's the 3__rd__ time today what is she doing to me?' _ He's had no idea that that has been bothering her. For a moment he feels guilty he caused her to be in pain and to hurt.

Aang finally speaks "Toph I had no idea" –"I do wish I had known because all of this could have been avoided"

Toph feels it coming here it is he's about to shutdown her feelings, shows over folks this is it.

Aang is now smiling knowing he's about to catch her off guard for once in her life.

"It could have been avoided because I love you too Toph!"

Toph looks defeated _'I knew this would happen how crazy was I to think that he woull….. Wait what?'_

Aang is laughing at her judging by the look on her face she didn't expect to hear that, she went from sad to shock to happy in all of 5 seconds. _'_It was kind of cute'

Rendered speechless all Toph can muster up to say is "huh"

Aang stands to walk closer to her finally at her side he reaches down to take the cup from her hand and sits it down.

"I said that I love you too" Aang grabs Toph's hand pulling her to stand with him "I've always loved you even when you were just a vision in my dreams.

Carefully he leans in to kiss the tip of her nose, taking her breath away in the process.

"I will never stop loving you" he kisses both her cheeks.

Leaning in barely touching her lips "I'm the luckiest man alive to have you Love me" finally he places a gentle kiss on her lips. _'How could such a gentle kiss pack so much power?'_

Toph has never felt anything more amazing than the feeling running through her body right now her heart and stomach are burning with desire; she wraps her arms around his neck leaning more into the kiss as he wraps his arms around her waist.

'Only in these arms will I ever be "Held" again' smiles Toph into the kiss


End file.
